THE KABBALAH OF TIME:
Kahane and Wainer explain that the calendar is the master key to unlock the hidden rationale behind the formal structure of ancient sacred texts, as well as to understand basic mystical concepts. When comprehended within the context of the Jewish calendar, these works reveal the spiritual energy of each week, serving as a practical guide for self-analysis and development.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Week 43 (Book 4b): Holding On Through the Birthpangs of Mashiach

SONG OF SONGS: 5. "Who is this coming up from the
desert, embracing her beloved?" "Under the apple tree I aroused you;
there your mother was in travail with you; there she that bore you was in
travail."

70 SOULS THAT DESCENDED TO EGYPT: Imnah and Muppim

TALMUD SHEVUOTH: Daf 43 – Guardians Who Are Exempt
from Payment and the Loss of a Security.

BOOK OF JEREMIAH: Chapter 43

Week 43 in the Jewish calendar is the
week of Rosh Chodesh Av. This is a
difficult period in the Jewish year, and also the week of the yahrzeit of Aharon. The verse of Shir HaShirim of this week speaks of the
Jewish people holding on strongly to Hashem (under an apple tree) (This 22-day
period is connected to the apple (Tapuach),
and the Tapuach’s song is from Shir HaShirim, See Book 6). It also
speaks of the travail of the Jewish people, its birthpangs. This week’s themes
– the proximity to G-d symbolized by Aharon, but also the difficulty of these
days, associated with the birthpangs of Mashiach.

Of the
seventy souls of the Jewish people that descended to Egypt, the forty-third
mentioned is Imnah. Imnah appears related to the word Yemin, right, or right hand. It is a reference to Hashem’s great
might, with which He redeemed us at the time of the Exodus. Although, during
these day throughout history, we have experienced Hashem’s might “against”us, in the future, it will be in Av that Mashiach will be born and we will experience an even greater
redemption, and witness even greater might.

Imnah also appears
to come from the word Limnot, “to
count.” This week is also connected to Muppim, son of Benjamin, whose name is a
reference to Joseph’s exceeding beauty. It was Aharon’s job to count the Jewish
people with Moshe, focusing on their good points, their strength and their
beauty.

DafMem Gimmel (Folio 43) of Shvuot discusses cases when a shomer (guardian) is exempt from paying,
how claims must be quantified, and what happens when a security is lost. This
seems relate to the above, related perhaps to Aharon as a guardian of the
Jewish people, who “quantified” (counted) them in the desert. It also appears
related to the loss of the “security” G-d entrusted to us, the Temple, which
took place during this time of the year.

Chapter 43 of the Book of Jeremiah contains a similar
theme to the above. The chapter speaks of gathering all the people that had
remained in the land. It also speaks of the interaction between the people and
their guardian at the time - the prophet Jeremiah. However, the people did not
listen to Jeremiah. Instead, they chose to listen to Johanan the son of Kareah,
who gathered them and took them to Egypt.

4. And Johanan the son of Kareah and all the officers
of the armies and all the people did not hearken to the voice of the Lord to
dwell in the land of Judah.

5. And Johanan the son of Kareah and all the officers
of the armies took all the remnant of Judah that had returned from all the
nations where they had been driven, to sojourn in the land of Judah,

6. the men and the women and the children and the
king's daughters and all the people whom Nebuzaradan the chief executioner had
left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet
and Baruch the son of Neriah.

7. And they came to the land of Egypt, for they did
not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and they came to Tahpanhes.

Rebbe Yisrael Taub and his son, Shaul Yedidya Elazer Taub, the First and Second Rebbes of Modzitz

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The date also marks the yahrzeit of emmissaries Gavriel Noach and Rivky Holzberg, who died "Al Kidush Hashem" (sanctifying G-d's Holy Name), as well as the Rebbe's miraculous recovery from a massive heart attack.

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Burial Place of the Mitteler Rebbe, Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch

His yahrzeit (and birthday) is on Tuesday, the 9th of Kislev. The following day, the 10th of Kislev, is celebrated as the day of his personal redemption.